HAWASSA UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER
ENGINEERING
SPEED CONTROL OF DC MOTOR
 ABSTRACT
The aim of this project is to control the speed of DC motor. The title of our project is speed
control of DC motor using SCR unit. Nowadays, there are lots of good-quality motor speed
controls on the market. However, their costs are relatively high. A speed control with both low
cost and good performance will be highly marketable, especially for small mobility
applications. On the other hand, the wireless connectivity has a natural of low cost and less
environmental limitations. Combining these ideas together, we came up with this project. To
control the speed of DC motor we use converter, power control circuit and also gate circuit.
The power control circuit include with thyristor (SCR). SCR is the most commonly used
electrical power controller. An SCR is sometimes called a pnpn diode because it conducts
electrical current in only one direction. The input signal from ac supply is sinusoidal. After the
signal go through the dc converter the signal will be converted and we need to add power
control circuit to control the speed of dc motor and to produce a smooth input signal for dc
motor. The efficiency of this form of power control is extremely high since a very small amount
of triggering energy can enable the thyristor to control a great deal of output power in dc motor.
In this project we use MATLAB simulation software to design speed control of DC motor by
using SCR.

1
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................................... 4
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Background of the project ................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Objective ............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.2.1 General objective ......................................................................................................................... 4
1.2.2 Specific objective ......................................................................................................................... 5
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE ................................................................................................................................. 5
1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY............................................................................................................................ 5
2 Literature review ........................................................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................................... 7
3. METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................... 7
3.1 Speed control methods ......................................................................................................................... 7
3.2 Different speed control methods of DC motor.................................................................................... 7
3.2.1 Field control method: ................................................................................................................... 8
3.2.2 Armature control method ............................................................................................................. 8
3.3 SCR power controllers ........................................................................................................................ 8
3.3.1 Features and benefits of SCR power controllers over other forms of control include: .................... 8
3.4 DC motor Speed Controller ................................................................................................................ 9
3.5 Speed Control by using thyristor ...................................................................................................... 10
3.6 Work plan.......................................................................................................................................... 11

2
Figure 1 Basic block diagram for DC Motor speed control ..................... 9
Figure 2 Basic flow chart of DC motor speed control ............................. 9
Figure 3 Block diagram of DC Motor speed control by using thyristor 10

3
 CHAPTER ONE

1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the project

The proposed of this project is developed to control the speed of DC (direct current) motor. This
project is also consisting of dc converter, power control circuit and also gate circuit. The input
signal from AC (alternative current) supply will go through the transformer for stepping down the
line voltage to level suitable for the control circuit at the dc converter and also for the dc motor
itself the power control circuit will produced the smooth without ripple signal for dc motor input.
The power control circuit include with thyristor. The thyristor (SCR) is line-commutated
converter; therefore the firing angle must be delivered synchronously with the line voltage. The
additional circuit called gate circuit is an external circuit that is needed to generate the firing angle.

Often we want to control the speed of DC motor on demand. This intentional change of drive speed
is known as speed control of a DC motor. Speed control of DC motor is either done manually by
the operator or by means of an automatic control device. This is different to speed regulation where
the speed is trying to be maintained (or ‘regulated’) against the natural change in speed due to a
change in the load on the shaft. Dc machines are generally much more adaptable to adjustable
speed service. The ready availability of dc motors to adjustment of their operating speed over wide
ranges and by a variety of methods is one of the important reasons for the strong competitive
position of dc machinery in modern industrial applications.

1.2 Objective
1.2.1 General objective

The main objective of this project is to design and integrated the power control circuit. At the
same time this power control circuit also will control the dc motor speed.

4
1.2.2 Specific objective

The specific objective of this project is

 To control speed with low cost and with a good performance

 To increase reliability of the DC motor
 To get controllable speed of DC motor
 To create awareness about tyresistor (SCR)
 To analyze the working principle of tyresistor

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE
The speed control of dc motor by using thyristor in general is very useful by preventing the
previously mentioned problems of classical control techniques. The ultimate result of the study is
to have variable speed, in terms of efficiency and serviceability and to increase or decrease the
developed torque.

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY

In this paper, it has been tried to control the speed of a single phase DC motor by using thyristor
with the help of MATLAB simulation software. The scope is to study the DC motor characteristic
curve at the load terminal

5
 CHAPTER TWO

2 Literature review
A.T.Alexandridis (1997) proposed on the speed control on nonlinear firing angel control scheme,
which is suitable series and shunt connected dc motor drive system. The design procedure obtains
an equivalent linear model of the system by exact state transformation and feedback rather than by
linear approximations about particular set points. Therefore, large change of the operating points
through the command input or of the external load can be applied the successfully. In case the
simulation results verify an excellent performance of the dc motor speed control.

M.Nedelikovic (2000) created a new approach to the design of feed forward fast current controller
for SCR is described. This type of current control has excellent stability and the fastest possible
limited only by the DC side inductor. As in any type of feed forward control, there is a problem of
small inaccuracy in estimating circuit parameters and especially in this case , due to setting the
maximum instant value of current instead of preferable average value .

This problem can be solved with the outer control loop with the PI controller, which will
generate a reference value for maximum instant value of current. For the sake of simplicity, in
this paper, although it can easily be extended to rectifier with any number of phase.

A new GTO due to converter is proposed by Khan el al. (1988).The two converters which
Constitute the dual converter are always operated simultaneously permitting a free flow of current
from the load of the converter. The getting pulse pattern is such that no circulating currents flow
through the converters at any time.
This disperses with the need for dc choke and avoids over-rating of the thyristor, two major
drawbacks of circulating current dual converter, while maintaining good dynamic response and
continuity of the load current.

6
 CHAPTER THREE

3. METHODOLOGY
DC motor: - an electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric
motors operate through interacting magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate
force.

3.1 Speed control methods

The modern converters are compact, cheap, reliable, flexible and completely controllable.
They need reduced maintenance too. For dc motor control, controlled dc power from a constant ac
supply is obtained by means of controlled rectifiers (converters) using thyristors and diodes. The
control of dc voltage is achieved by varying the phase angle at which the thyristors are fired relative
to the applied alternating waveform. This scheme of control is known as ‘phase control’.

3.2 Different speed control methods of DC motor

Dc machines are generally much more adaptable to adjustable speed service. The ready
availability of dc motors to adjustment of their operating speed over wide ranges and by a variety
of methods is one of the important reasons for the strong competitive position of dc machinery in
modern industrial applications. The speed of a dc motor can be expressed by the following
relationship.

N α (V-IaRa)/ф, where

N- Speed of motor

Ia- Armature current

Ra- Armature resistance

Ф- Flux per pole

•Armature control

7
3.2.1 Field control method:

It is the most common method and forms one of the outstanding advantages of shunt motors.
The method is also applicable to compound motors. Adjustment of field current and hence the flux
and speed by adjustment of the shunt field circuit resistance.

3.2.2 Armature control method

3.2.2.1 Rheostatic control:

This method consists of obtaining reduced speeds by the insertion of external series resistance
in the armature circuit. It can be used with series, shunt and compound motors. It is common
method of speed control for series motors. This method is used when speeds below the no load
speed is required.

3.2.2.2 Voltage control:

When the speed is controlled by regulating the motor terminal voltage while maintaining constant
field current, it is called voltage control.

3.3 SCR power controllers

Since the development of SCR power controllers in the late 1950's, the power handling
capabilities of SCR's (silicon controlled rectifiers) have advanced from a few hundred watts to
many megawatts. SCR power controllers provide a relatively economical means of power control.
SCR power controllers cost less and are more efficient than saturable core reactors and variable
transformers. Compared to contactors, SCR power controllers offer a much finer degree of control
and do not suffer from the maintenance problems of mechanical devices.

3.3.1 Features and benefits of SCR power controllers over other forms of
control include:

 High reliability
 Infinite resolution
 Extremely fast response
 Selectable control parameters

8
 3.4 DC motor Speed Controller
For precise speed control of servo system, closed-loop control is normally used.

Basically, the block diagram and the flow chart of the speed control are shown in Figure 3.1 and
Figure 3.2 respectively. The speed, which is sensed by analog sensing devices (e.g., tachometer)
is compared with the reference speed to generate the error signal and to vary the armature voltage
of the motor.

Figure 1 Basic block diagram for DC Motor speed control

Figure 2 Basic flow chart of DC motor speed control

9
 3.5 Speed Control by using thyristor
Figure 3.1 shows the block diagram of DC motor speed control by using thyristor. The thyristor
is used to supply a variable DC voltage to motor, thus it can control the speed of motor.

Figure 3 Block diagram of DC Motor speed control by using thyristor

10
3.6 Work plan
Activities APRIL APRIL MAY MAY JUNE

2023 2023 2023 2023 2023

Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks Weeks

1st&2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 2nd

Collection of
literature
Study of
literature
Analysis of
proposed
scheme
Preparation of
scheme/module

Analysis &
simulation
Result
Formulation
Final Write-up
&project
submission

11
REFERENCE
1) SIMULINK, Model-based and system-based design, using Simulink, MathWorks Inc.,
Natick, MA, 2000.

2) SimPowerSystems for use with Simulink, user’s guide, MathWorks Inc., Natick, MA, 2002

4) P.C. Sen, principles of Electrical Machines and power Electronics, John Wiley & Sons. New
York, 1989

5) www.electronics-tutorials.ws/transistor/tran_7.html

6) M. H. Rashid, Power Electronics: Circuits, Devices, and Applications

Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 1988.

12
Acronyms
Dc =direct current

AC =alternating current

SCR =silicon control rectifier

GTO = gate transistor on

PWM = pulse width modulation

EMI = electromagnetic interface RPM =

revolution per minute

α = firing angle of thyristor

13